Make sure to read Ch.53 first. I posted it not long ago!

There was only one week left to the annual Mafia Ball, and I had never seen Dario look so stressed. He had been coming home later than usual these past couple of nights, trying to finish all the preparations before next Friday. This event would impact alliances, treaties, and politics. What shocked me the most was that the Italian government approved the Ball as a legitimate business event. Traffic would be reduced to avoid conspiracies and assassination attempts.

This is some next level of Royalty.

It was the most impactful event of the year. It was funny how everyone became blind to the illegal activities when politics was involved. The ruling government was to remain in power, and most mafias worldwide supported their governments in one way or another. 

I thought The Romano Mafia only worked with authorities by eliminating dangerous individuals and criminals. However, the weapons Dario sold to authorized governments and armies worldwide strengthened alliances with other countries, hence, the blind eye.

I was the CEO of one of the most successful companies in America, and I was not as well versed as I thought I would be in politics until I got a closer look at Dario's business and lifestyle.

"Jolene," Phoebe called, catching my attention. "I can see that your pretty little head is working at full speed. What is it?" I made eye contact with her through the rearview mirror and sighed.

"Nothing you should worry about, but are you sure this is a good idea to go and spy on their date?" I asked Abramo and Phoebe, who were sitting too close to each other in the passenger seats. Love was in the air.

Dario, driving at average speed while following Fabio's car, nodded. "Why do we have to spy? It's a date. It's supposed to be private," he reasoned, and I agreed. It felt like we were invading their privacy, and I hated that.

Abramo smirked. "Because I never saw Fabio alone with a girl. I want to know how Diana will deal with his feminist ass."

"Not just that, I am worried about Diana. The incident is still fresh, so I would like to be near her in case something happens," Phoebe explained, and I understood where she was coming from. She wanted to guard and support Diana because Dad and I did that for her, and our actions, as she states, helped her through.

"Fine, but if they see us, I will blame you, Abramo," Dario stated.

~~~

"Omg, she looks beautiful," I whispered as we sat a few tables behind the couple. Diana wore a burgundy form-fitting dress, which she slayed better than supermodels. Her body and curves were to die for, even though she did not necessarily like being a plus-size. She was honestly one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen, and when I told her that, she shyly dismissed me. She was not used to compliments from people other than her family, but that was starting to change.

Phoebe and I convinced her that being happy and healthy was all that mattered in the long run. Besides, Dario told me Diana was Fabio's exact type. They had a drunken night a while back at work, and Fabio spilled his guts to his don. Dario was kind enough to listen. He really cared about his men like family, and I admired that quality in him so much.

"Yes, she's stunning! Good thing she wore the dress we bought for her," Phoebe remarked as she grabbed the menu.

"Look at Fabio's cheeks! He's precious," Abramo commented, and on cue, the waitress came over to take our orders, but her eyes were glued to Dario.

How cliche is that?

"Ciao, vorresti ordinare ora?" she asked while eating Dario with her eyes. She was beautiful; I was not going to deny that fact. However, he was taken.

He is happily fake-married to me.

I cleared my throat, and she looked at me with a smile. "I would like Fettuccine al Pomodoro, please," I ordered, and she wrote it on her tablet.

"I want the same thing, but add one small Pizza Margherita," Phoebe ordered without removing her gaze from Diana. Meanwhile, the waitress was standing too close to Dario. Her thigh brushed his arm, and he shifted uncomfortably beside me.

"Baby, what do you want to eat?" I asked as I eyed her. She did not get the memo and stepped closer. "Excuse me, can you step back, please? He's clearly uncomfortable with you hovering over him," I added. I did not want him to snap at her and cause a scene, so I hoped she would take a hint.

"No English, scusa," she smirked, and I counted to ten in my head. She clearly understood me but decided that being a bitch would get her something.

A beating from me if she does not move, that's for sure.

I did not know I was this possessive. 

Abramo and Dario saw me stand up, when Abramo clapped his hands and smiled. "Ascolta, disperato sfasciafamiglie; sono sposati. Lui è un mafioso e lei è la sua donna, quindi a meno che tu non voglia una pallottola in bocca per zittirti, ti suggerisco di prendere il suo ordine e andartene."

Her eyes widened, and she quickly took Dario's order and ran to the kitchen. "What did you say?" I asked Abramo, and he grinned while wrapping his arm around Phoebe's shoulders. 

He got lucky the night of the branch opening, and they had been going strong. They did not define themselves as a couple yet but were heading that way. I was happy for Phoebe because she deserved a happy life, and Abramo seemed to add more of that happiness each day.

"If I am not wrong, he said, and I try to quote: You desperate homewrecker; they are married. He is a mafia don, and she is his donna, so unless you want a bullet in your mouth to shut you up, I urge you to take his order and scram," she translated, looking at him, and Abramo nodded.

"More or less," Dario said as he nuzzled his nose in the crook of my neck, clearly distressed about the whole ordeal. I ran my hand through his hair, and Phoebe coed at us.

"I can't wait for my godchildren," she commented, and I blushed.

Why have enemies when you can have Phoebe?

"I want to-" Abramo's words were cut off by a commotion on the restaurant's other side. We looked in that direction and saw Fabio standing face-to-face with a man twice his size. They were having a heated conversation in broken English, and we were about to stand up when Dario stopped us.

"Wait."

And we waited.

"I no touch this signora," the bulky man shouted, stepping closer to Fabio to intimidate him, but it did nothing. Fabio stood his ground while shielding Diana with his body.

"Yes, you did. You touched my butt just now from under the seat," Diana argued, and I felt my blood boil. 

Why are most men such insufferable beings?

The man smirked as he rubbed his greasy hair. "Can you blame me? Who says you wear this tight vestito?"

It all happened so fast after that remark. Fabio punched the man's fast, making him stumble backward, eventually losing his balance. "Why punch me? I no touch you!" the man yelled as he winced, holding his probably broken jaw.

"Can you blame me? Who told you to have a punchable face and a shitty personality? And you touched my girl and dared to lie about it!" Fabio replied as he cleaned his hand with Diana's napkin. No one in the restaurant dared move a muscle, probably because they did not want to be involved in unnecessary drama, and I could not blame them.

"Did he just say my girl?" Phoebe asked in a whisper, and I nodded in excitement. Diana's cheeks turned red, and we wanted to embrace her so hard. She was precious.

The man stood up, ready to finish the fight. He pulled out his gun, but Dario decided it was time to end this nonsense. He stepped closer with a calm expression. "Show's over. Get out." When the man saw Dario, his face paled as he instantly recognized the Mafia Don.

"Mi scusi, signor Romano," the man cried out as he hid his gun and rushed outside. He almost shit in his pants.

"Don, what are you doing here?" Fabio asked, but then he looked at us and sighed. "Were you spying on us?"

"No."

"Nope."

"Nah."

"Yes." Leave it to Phoebe to blow our cover. 

~~~ 

4.11.2023 

I love it when men get protective over their women! Don't you? 

I hope you liked this chapter!